Visit to the Gladiatorial Exhibition at the Colosseum
20 June 2001 to 07 January 2002by 'Q. Aurelius Symmachus'

Impressions of the Gladiatorial Exhibit at the Colosseum. The admission fee is included in
the normal ItL 13.000 cost of the ticket to the Colosseum.

The arena area today – as seen from the second level up over the present main entrance

Look closely and you may be able to identify as many as 3 subterranean levels in some of the passageways under the arena.

The emperor under whom the colosseum was opened - Titus.

Models of the elevators used to bring animals up to the the surface of the arena. The one above depicts an elevator dated to the Flavian period, the one below is believed to be from the days of emperor Severus.

Model of the scenery elevators of the Flavian period.

Eques:only one certain representation is known, in the socalled tomb of Umbricius Scaurus in Pompeii, short tunic, circular brim, round shield, leggings, lance and sword with the point.

Myrmillo:helmet with simple crest, sleeve on right arm, short shin guard on left leg, long rectangular shield, straight sword.

Provocator:substantially analogous categories, that were used against the retiarius. The armament is generally analogous to that of the myrmillo, except for the ovoidal helmet, devoid of crest, so that it could not get caught in the net.

Retiarius:absence of defensive weapons (except the galerus; metallic plaque fixed on the left shoulder, and a manica on the left arm), net, trident, short sword

Thracian:helmet with decorated crest of a relief head of a gryphon; curved sword (sica); tall shin guard; manica (a type of mantel draped over his arm used against the opponent) on the right arm; small rectangular shield

From the Abruzzo, the relief depicts a Thracian on the left and an Oplomachus on the right

Terracotta depicting Venatione, 1st C. AD

Helmets, greaves and weapons from the Gladiator Barracks at Pompeii. The helmet on the left is missing an original crest (and probably a plume)

Weapons and shield from the gladiator barracks at Pompeii

A model of the gladiatorial barracks at Pompeii

Showing 3 Gladiators, this fragment of marble relief was noted as being from the Tiber. Presumably this means it was retrieved from the river.

This is a photograph of the casting of the so-called Torlonia Marble which is presently listed as “missing”

I believe this was identified from about 233 AD. Would have been used for some light music to accompany the slaughter.

A Ceremonial Horn

Marble relief from the funerary monument of the freedman C. Lucius Storax (The 3rd figure from the left is clearly a Myrmillo; the 3rd figure from the right, considering the tall shin guards would appear to be an Oplomachus without his lance; from the left, the 2nd and the 5th figures are interesting as they would seem to be Myrmilli in all except their crests which are certainly not simple.)